Yellowstone National Park — Attraction in West Yellowstone

We stayed at the Canyon Lodge for five days in this beautiful park. The room wasn't ready an hour after their listed check-in time, so they gave us a voucher for free dinner at their eatery. We are currently on Week 6 of our trip around the USA, we both ordered different dishes, and they were the worst meals we've had thus far. But none of that can diminish what we saw on our first drive through this park. We saw a big bull moose, dozens of bison, deer, elk, bubbling hot springs, mud springs, geysers, and beautiful mountains and lakes and rivers. This place is spectacular, and I'm excited about what we can see over the next five days.

Our second full day in this park was wonderful. Before we even got out of our hotel parking lot, we saw a few dozen people a bit too close to a foraging black bear. It was 500 yards from our hotel. This place is wonderful. Anyway, the plan was to drive northeast to Lamar Valley to see wildlife, and hike 3mi on the Lamar River Trail. We never got to the hike. We saw great vistas, fascinating rock formations, more bison than I knew existed, a black wolf, multiple Pronghorn deer (also called Pronghorn antelope but they're deer), more bears, prairie dogs, and found a new bird, the Spotted Sandpiper. We also saw bison hair/fur on the log next to us where we stopped alongside the road for lunch (of course we touched it, and it was so soft), talked for about a half hour with a nice gentleman from Portsmouth 🇬🇧 when we got to Barronnette Point (he offered to let us see through his telescope and he had zoomed in on a mountain goat high in this mountain, so cool!), and lastly got caught in a Bison Jam on the way back to our hotel. Best day ever!

On Day 3 around 9 a.m., we left our hotel to go see what we came here to see. Our first stop was the Old Faithful Inn, the inspiration for Walt Disney World's Wilderness Lodge. The common areas are holding up, and there were several neat embellishments throughout, like some of the wood railings on the staircase. It's also impressive from outside. Afterwards, we waited less than 20 minutes to see the eruption of the Old Faithful geyser. Cross that off the bucket list. There are many other cool looking geysers and springs throughout this park, and we saw several today. Some had neat colors, some had fun backstories, and some had water so clear you thought you could drop right in and everything would be great (that would be incorrect, as they are all scorchingly hot). They didn't all have names, but they all caught our attention. We walked until we team out of energy, not things to see, and then drove back to the hotel.

On Day 4, we did the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook hike from Fairy Falls Trailhead. The uphill was not too bad, and the views made it worth it. Next we walked the wooden path around Grand Prismatic, Excelsior Spring, and a few others. We also learned more about microscopic creatures, in layers along the edge of Excelsior, than we care to know. All kidding aside, it was fascinating info. Next we stopped at Gibbon Falls, just a short walk and no hiking involved. Then we headed North and took some pics in front of the Roosevelt Arch, then hit the Visitor's Center that's in an old building from the days when this park was called Fort Yellowstone. We stopped at Undine Falls, then we stopped to do a selfie with a black bear (we weren't that close), then we hit another overlook, got caught in a much smaller Bison Jam, and then saw another black bear with cub about 15ft from our car while driving on the main road, on a hillside about two stories high. We had a full day, and this park is just magical.

On Day 5, we had a short and easy day of driving and overlooks, all along both roads around the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. The views were wonderful, we saw another bison along the way, and lots of sparrows and ravens. And we saw the Upper and Lower Falls, in addition to wondrous colors of the canyons. It was another great day to be in...

In 2023 August, we drove for a 3-day adventure to Yellowstone National Park, with a stay in the charming town of Cody, was nothing short of magical. This iconic American treasure exceeded every expectation and gave me memories that will stay with me forever.

One of the most unforgettable moments came when we found ourselves in the middle of a bison crossing—a surreal encounter that felt like stepping into a nature documentary. A massive herd of bison slowly and majestically made their way across the road, just feet from our vehicle. There were about 10 cars halted in awe, engines off, everyone sitting silently and breathlessly inside as the bison took their time. The sheer power and grace of these animals, so close yet so calm, was both humbling and exhilarating. It was one of those rare, raw moments where nature demands your full attention—and you gladly give it.

The park's landscapes constantly shifted from awe-inspiring mountain ranges to steaming geothermal fields. Geysers erupted in the distance, painting the air with mist, and vibrant hot springs colored the earth like alien art. Wildlife sightings were frequent—elk, deer, bald eagles, and even a fox darting across the road one evening.

One night, I drove through the park in the pouring rain, and it became its own kind of adventure. Visibility was incredibly low, and to make it more cinematic, the warm ground created a ghostly mist that danced in the headlights as raindrops streaked across the windshield. It felt like driving through a dream—mysterious, slightly eerie, and utterly beautiful.

Even simple moments like stopping at scenic pullouts, hearing the distant rumble of waterfalls, or watching the sunset spill golden hues across the wide-open valleys felt sacred. Every mile driven in Yellowstone felt like a journey through a living, breathing masterpiece.

Tips for others:

Always keep your camera ready—you never know when a herd of bison or a geyser might surprise you.

Early mornings are peaceful and ideal for wildlife viewing.

Take your time and don’t rush; Yellowstone rewards patience and curiosity.

If you’re seeking an experience that reconnects you with the wild, stirs your soul, and reminds you of the planet’s untouched beauty, Yellowstone delivers beyond words. I came for a vacation. I left with a deep respect for nature and a heart...

My family and I visited Yellowstone National Park in the beginning of June. The timing was perfect because it was not too cold and not too many tourists. The whole summer gets very busy. We had traveled to the park for 3 days since we wanted to see all major attractions and drive through the whole park. I think we had accomplished that. We entered the park through the north entrance because that was the closest one to our hotel in Montana. I thought the north entrance was really beautiful because the scenery ( landscape and nature) is so vastly different. Also, between north and west entrance is where we saw the most animals. Entering the park was fairly easy, no lines. Fee is very reasonable and is valid for an entire week. At the entrance they provide an information booklet. There are important safety rules inside. I didn’t have a chance to read them when we arrived at Mammoth Hot Springs and for breaking one of the rules I ended up paying almost $800 fine. I wish someone had warned me. Fines for breaking the rules are heavily fined, even jail time. I have posted another review for Mammoth Hot Springs detailing my incident. My favorite spot was the Norris Geyser Basin. The Lower waterfall and grand canyon of Yellowstone park are equally breathtaking. There is quite a hike going downhill and uphill to view them up close. But observation centers from up top are available as well. We were also lucky to see a lot of animals like bison, bear, elk, moose, deer, birds, red fox etc. The park offers camping and lodging inside the park but be prepared to pay more. Restrooms, restaurants and gift shops are available throughout the park. Be prepared to do a lot of driving and walking. Not many gas stations within the park. I only saw one. The roads are really good, but have lots of turns and curves. There are areas of falling rock as well. Caution on the road is highly recommended due to animal crossing and other drivers stopping on the road. Dogs are allowed but certain areas are restricted due to safety. Overall, the trip to the park was worth the trip. I don’t know if, I will ever go back, since there are so many other parks which are beautiful and deserving a visit. I gave the park four stars because of my incident and because I didn’t experience safety education from any employees...